The vast majority of UK consumers are ready to embrace programmatic commerce devices similar to Amazon Dash, research has found
Analyst Salmon quizzed more than 2,000 UK consumers, and the conclusion was that Brits are ready for what could well be the next stage in digital retail: completely automated purchases managed by machine with no action from the shopper needed.
The key stats from the Salmon report found that:
- 57% of UK consumers say they will be ready to embrace automated purchasing within the next two years, with 13% of respondents being ready now
- 58% of shoppers say they’re more likely to opt for a smart technology if it would enable this kind of shopping
- Consumers who took part in the survey said they would be most comfortable ordering household supplies (54%), food and drink (54%) and beauty, healthcare and personal hygiene products (34%) through Programmatic Commerce
- If consumers were setting preferences for their devices to use when ordering items, most would prioritise cost above other considerations (50%). Only 25% would prioritise brands
- Respondents said their main concerns would be lack of control over purchases (54%), followed by the security (51%) and privacy (51%) of their personal data
The findings come hot on the heels of the UK launch of Amazon’s ‘one-click’ Dash ordering button tool. First launched in the US in 2015, customers can order any of 40 different brands – including Fairy, Durex and Pedigree – by pressing the Wi-Fi enabled button. Customers are urged to buy the plastic buttons – which are available to the ecommerce giant’s Prime subscribers – and store them next to their fridge, toilets, and other appliances to allow quick re-ordering of commonly-used lines.
A Salmon spokesperson said of programmatic commerce: “Programmatic commerce takes it a step further than Amazon Dash, where goods would be ordered by a smart fridge and delivered before shoppers even know they’re needed. For example, a coffee machine might re-order the owner’s favourite coffee when supplies run low with the shopper simply entering price limits, preferred brands and other options into the system on initial set-up.
“Smart devices such as internet-connected fridges have the capabilities for enabling programmatic commerce, but the retailer side is currently lacking to allow this to happen.”
Responding to the findings, John Pincott, managing director for EMEA, at omnichannel commerce platform Kibo, said: “Making the mundane as simple as possible so consumers can spend more time doing what they enjoy is a crucial factor in ecommerce. Consumers typically swap between multiple channels before making a final purchase and any experience which decreases this ‘friction’ will grow the chances of a retailer making the sale. Automated purchasing actually takes this pain-point away for retailers in an instance and is a clear area for R&D.
“Many companies fight a never-ending battle of abandoned shopping carts as customers get cold feet or abort due to frustration with the user experience. Although automated purchasing through connected smart devices is a little way off yet, it’s clear the appetite from consumers is there. Technologies such as one-click purchasing, launched by Amazon in the UK this week, prove that making the customer journey as simple as possible is crucial in securing the sale and creating a competitive edge.”
